Ashes like Snow
by Dark K. Sly
Summary: One day Scott looks across the room and notices that Stiles has changed. Stiles didn't just change all over at once – it has been happening for a while, and Scott didn't notice it. It kills him a bit inside to realize it took him so long to see it.


**Ashes like Snow**

One day Scott looks across the room and notices that Stiles _has changed_.

Certainly it didn't happen overnight. Stiles didn't just wake up one day with longer hair and more fitting clothes, or teasing _Jackson Whittemore_ of all people. He didn't just suddenly sprout other friends and new habits, and this more pensive way of talking, not quite as flailing.

Stiles didn't just change all over at once – it has been happening for a while, and Scott didn't notice it.

It kills him a bit inside to realize it took him so long to see it.

**X**

He calls Stiles that afternoon – "_Hey, it's Stiles, you know what to do. And if you don't, why do you have a phone?"_ – the annoying beep sounds and Scott just stares at the phone in his hand before hanging up without saying anything.

He doesn't know where Stiles is. He's not really sure where he _could be_ either. It hits him that one year ago he could have predicted where Stiles would have been just by _knowing_ him. He _knew_ where his friend, his best friend, would be at.

He doesn't now.

**X**

The next day, at school, he sits by Stiles at the beginning of the class, and the teen sends him a confused smile.

"Hey, man" he greets, and Scott wants to shake him, ask him why he's different, when did he start wearing designer clothes, when did he start throwing paper plane notes at Erica's head and not his, when did he begin to answer Danny's smirks with ones of his own, when did he start being allowed to steal Boyd's food, when did he start laughing at Jackson's comments in class, when did Lydia start defending him from Harris.

When did he change?

And why?

**X**

_"I can't tonight, man" he said as he pulled on his jeans, almost late for his date with Allison, "I'll make it up you to you later ok?"_

_He hung up without even waiting for an answer, because Allison was waiting._

**X**

The teacher announces that the project must be done in pairs, and Scott sees this as an opportunity. He turns to Stiles, but Lydia already has her hand in the air.

"I think we should be allowed to do this in a trio, seeing as we have the highest grades, and it wouldn't be fair that we would have to either do all the work, or be subjected to lower our own grade."

The teacher agrees, and Jackson fist bumps Stiles as they move to sit together.

Lydia runs her hand on Stiles's hair before patting Jackson on the arm.

Stiles doesn't even see that Scott is all by himself, seeing as the class isn't in an odd number, and neither Allison nor Isaac are in here.

He ends up with someone he's never talked to before.

He's so distracted the girl ends up doing all the work, and huffing, annoyed at him, half the time.

Lydia, Jackson and Stiles keep working through secret smiles and small touches.

They finish the work before half the class has even understood what they are supposed to do, and keep talking in low voices for the rest of the period.

He doesn't even try to listen in, because he feels he has no right to know.

**X**

_"I'm so not his pack!"_

_"I know that, but won't you go and talk to him? Dude, Isaac was the first one he turned, you two need to at least give him an explanation!"_

_"We owe Derek nothing, okay?"_

_"I know that, Scott, but Isaac used to be his pack, he has to at least say something."_

_"He doesn't. You don't understand pack anyway, Stiles."_

_He turned around to tell Isaac to calm down, without even noticing the way Stiles's expression had changed._

_His best friend went home soon after, but he wasn't worried._

_They were friends, they would work through it, right?_

**X**

It's not as if he's alone, really. Isaac is a good friend, even if he's a bit aloof and aggressive sometimes – Scott gets where he's coming from. And ever since he swore he wouldn't get caught up in any of the Hale Pack's business anymore, Chris Argent has been way more tolerant towards him.

But he misses Stiles something _fierce_, and he would have thought that Stiles misses him too. They were best friends. For so long they had been everything the other had.

So he goes to the Stilinski's house on the weekend. Allison is away with her father, and Isaac is working. He sees the blue Jeep on the driveway, and knocks nervously on the door.

The Sheriff is the one to answer, and Scott has a cold dose of reality when the man looks _surprised_ to see him there. The man who once accused him of living in his house is now surprised to see him.

"Is Stiles home?" he asks in a small voice, and the Sheriff frowns.

"No" he says, frowning a bit, "It's Saturday, he's at Derek's with the pack."

Scott doesn't really answer, he just turns his back and leaves, because the Sheriff has just called _Derek Hale_ by his first name, he is apparently okay with Stiles hanging out with the man, and he called the others _pack_.

He doesn't even realize where he's going until he's just a few feet away from the Hale house. There's Jackson's shiny new BMW, bigger than his Porsche. Boyd's battered Impala that he's seen the boy drive around sometimes. A black SUV he assumes it's Peter's and Derek's Camaro, all parked in front of the house, which looks… _great_.

He knew they had been renovating after the whole Alpha Pack thing, he had no idea they would make the whole thing _new_.

Scott closes his eyes and just _listens_ for a few seconds.

There's quiet laughter over the sound of an old comedy from the 80's, what he assumes is Derek's voice commenting on it being his dream to fake sickness to his parents like the guy in the movie did. Peter's huff of incredulity. Stiles's quiet laughter, and Lydia telling them to shush, with Erica agreeing with her.

He stays in the woods for hours, just listening to them. Their talk and their amusement, and the discussion about pizza or Chinese food, and Jackson ordering both, because Stiles wants Chinese, but Lydia wants pizza, and Erica telling him he's so whipped between the both of them.

They get out of the house later on, sitting by the front porch, just talking. Scott thinks maybe Derek knows that he's there, but he doesn't say anything – just sits there with his… _his pack_.

His new family.

Jackson is leaning against the steps, legs stretched out in front of him, and Stiles is leaning against his chest between them, while Lydia has her head on Stiles's thighs, her fingers intertwined with Jackson's, while Stiles plays with her hair.

Erica is just a few steps away, Boyd lying on the ground with his head on her lap. Peter is on the chair on the porch, just watching them talk, an amused smile on his lips as Lydia and Stiles take the same side on the discussion, looking like he pities all the others.

Derek is there too, just watching, eyes closed, as if soaking this.

They just look so _right_ together.

Something aches in his chest as he stares at them, and Derek's eyes flash in his direction.

He doesn't move, doesn't startle, he even tries to stop breathing, but again, he's ignored.

Hours go by, and finally they start to settle down. Erica and Boyd say their goodbyes, and Stiles stretches before getting up, offering a hand to Jackson.

"Is it okay if we crash here? Dad's got the night shift" he says, and Peter gets up too.

"You three know your room is ready" he says shrugging, and gets in, being followed by the teens, who are whispering among themselves.

Jackson suddenly stops, looks around very quickly and almost smirks. He pulls Stiles to himself, and kisses him – sweet and deep. Stiles sighs, and smiles pulling away. Lydia shakes her head and kisses him too, before kissing Jackson, and putting her arms around the boys' waists.

"Let's save the PDA for the bedroom, ok? Goodnight, Derek" she says with a smirk, leading the boys inside.

Scott stays.

Derek stares right at him and comes to him slowly, as if he's giving Scott time to run away if he wants to.

"Why are you here, Scott?" he asks very quietly when he gets to the tree the boy had been hiding in.

Scott jumps down, and tries, for half a second, to look defiant, but just like Stiles, Derek's _changed_.

He doesn't look mad with anger anymore. He's secure and calm and even his stance seems to radiate confidence.

He's an Alpha, and Scott finally _gets_ what that _means_.

"I just went looking for Stiles. His dad told me he'd be here."

Derek frowns at him, and crosses his arms, the smallest bit of aggression shows in his stare.

"What do you want with him?"

"He's my best friend" he almost whispers, because no, he isn't.

Maybe Stiles _had been_ his best friend, but Scott hadn't been there for him for a very, very long time. Probably ever since Allison showed up in his life.

"No" Derek says, looking like he's actually enjoying himself while doing this, "_I_ am his best friend. Erica coming as a close second. Boys is pretty close to him too. Peter absolutely _adores_ him, and I think he's considering seducing the Sheriff just so he can actually call Stiles his son. Jackson would die for his boyfriend, and Lydia would skin anyone who dared to hurt him alive" he makes a pause, and tilts his head a bit, "If you're his best friend, how did you not know that?"

"I just…" but he doesn't say anything else, because he doesn't know what he _just_ wanted to do.

Get Stiles back? See if he's okay? What?

Derek sighs.

"Look, when Isaac left us and you started ignoring Stiles to deal with that, he came to us for help. He set everything up so you and Isaac and Allison would get what you wanted. You are free, Scott, you are normal. Control your shifts, keep close to your anchor and you're set. We have a truce with the Hunters, we have the territory protected, and if trouble does come, we won't go to you. You have what you want, so I'm going to say this just once: _leave him alone_. He went through a lot every time you pushed him away or blew him off to be with Allison or deal with Isaac, and he is finally fine now. We won't bother you, but you're not allowed to bother my pack anymore."

"He's… was my pack" Scott replies, feeling his eyes burning with tears.

"And you let him go. You aren't a part of this anymore. You got what you wanted. And now you really need to go."

He takes one last look at the house, and goes.

It's been a long, long while since he's felt so completely _alone_.

**X**

_He didn't answer to one of the calls because Isaac was upset, and the second because Allison agreed to talk to him again, even after their fight._

_His mom needed him to pick some things up when the third call came, and he had Lacrosse practice when the fourth happened._

_He really didn't even realize when the calls stopped coming altogether._

**X**

It's Monday morning, and the Summer Holidays are almost there. Junior year is almost done, and things are quiet.

At the parking lot, he gets out of Allison's car and, together, they wait for Isaac, who's running a bit late on his bike.

Across the parking lot they can see the shiny BMW with three people in it – Stiles gets out first, and then Jackson, and finally Lydia. They wave at Boyd and Erica, and Stiles cracks a joke about Winchesters. Lydia rolls her eyes, and Jackson smirks while waving Danny over.

They start crossing the parking lot, and pass by them.

Jackson's hand grabs Stiles's, and the teen smiles at him before looking at Scott and nodding briefly.

He thinks about calling him and asking to talk, but Erica starts up a conversation about Doctor Who, and Stiles leaves his boyfriend and girlfriend to talk to the blonde, and Scott just stares a bit more, feeling Allison's hand squeezing his.

He has Allison and Isaac is his friend.

He is not mixed up in supernatural crap anymore, and he's as normal as he can be.

Looking ahead, he sees the pack disappear inside the school, and he can't help but feel that he missed his chance.

And he won't be begging it back.

* * *

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